Project Mentors support our Scholars as they learn to lead and serve through STEM.

As individuals and as a group, IIT Boeing Scholars are committed to giving back and to improving the lives of others. As part of the IIT Boeing Scholars Academy’s Summer Session, Scholars collaborate in teams to develop and propose Leadership Grant Projects (LGPs) of their own design to be implemented in their communities over the next 10 months (July 2014-April 2015). Through the awarding and stewardship of these Leadership Grants, the Academy helps provide Scholars with the opportunity, resources, and guidance needed to empower them to promote positive change and continue to develop as leaders.

Each year, the Academy recruits a talented and dedicated cadre of Project Mentors—adult professionals who volunteer individually or in pairs to advise a small group of IIT Boeing Scholars as they develop their Leadership Grant Project. We welcome young, mid-career, and seasoned professionals alike. At minimum, Project Mentors should have a bachelor’s degree, two years of professional work experience, and familiarity with how to complete a project. Experience in mentoring or otherwise supervising high school students is a plus.

Each Project Mentor is expected to:

Commit an average of 10 hours per month for
10 months (July 2014-April 2015) to advising a
team of IIT Boeing Scholars as they develop and implement their Leadership Grant Project.

Attend monthly program workshops at IIT and meet independently with their group.

Provide their LGP group with guidance and feedback as they identify objectives, create a budget and project plan, mediate conflicts, and find outside resources.

Keep in regular contact with their LGP group via email, Google Drive, etc.

Communicate with program staff about group progress and challenges that Scholars face.

Draw upon their own experiences to foster and
inspire Scholars’ continued intellectual, academic,
and personal progress and growth.

Serve as a positive role model for Scholars.

Assistant Project Mentor Opportunities also available

This year we are introducing another volunteer position to the Leadership Grant Project team, called the Assistant Project Mentor. These volunteer opportunities are typically targeted to Advanced undergraduate students that are available to mentor Scholars for about 5 hours per month from July 2014 – April 2015. Assistant Project Mentors provide another layer of advisement and support to Leadership Grant Project teams, and also help to ensure the success of the project.

Summaries of and video presentations about Leadership Grant Projects completed in 2013-14 are online here.

Scholars during a visit to The Adler Planetarium for their StS project.

Currently, we have identified all of our Project and Assistant Project Mentors for the 2014-15 academic year; however, there are other volunteer opportunities available. If you are interested in helping to run workshops and other events, supporting students in the college application process, chaperoning field trips, and supporting the staff with organizational and administrative tasks, please fill out the Volunteer Application.Simply check the appropriate box to indicate your interest, and successfully complete a criminal background check. If you are selected, we will match you with a project during the 2014-15 academic year.

For more information about the Leadership Grant Project, contact Trinanein Almo, Program Manager, at 708.365.8572 or talmo@iit.edu.